The recent spate of charity compliance revocations may “become the norm”, according to the head of the national charity regulator.
New figures released by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) have revealed the number of charity revocations hit a record high in 2017, rising by 30 per cent.
In total, 26 organisations were stripped of their charity status in 2017 following investigations into misconduct and mismanagement, with four revocations announced in the lead up to Christmas and another joining the list early in the new year.
ACNC commissioner Dr Gary Johns said the recent spate of revocations could become the norm, as “concerns about charities continue to grow”.
“Last year we saw a 30 per cent increase in both charity revocations, and in the number of concerns we received,” Johns said.
“This is indicative of the public’s increasing awareness of the ACNC, as they now know where to turn to raise their concerns, and the ACNC’s improving intelligence and compliance capabilities.
“It is likely that these figures will continue to grow in 2018.”
The five most recent revocations, Pathways to Leadership, Synergy Active, Fitzroy Basin Elders Committee, Childs Vision, and the Australian Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, were all found to have breached the ACNC Act for governance standards.
To view the full Pro Bono article, click here.